Cadillac has just done what Cadillac does best: Release a styling exercise that has us drooling over the possibilities of a car that, if built, would immediately become one of the best-looking vehicles on the road. Will the company build the electric 2+2 convertible? Let's just ignore that for now.
It's called the Cadillac Sollei, and yes, that second "L" is irritating to our vaguely bilingual Canadian brains. But the name doesn't just mean sun. It's actually Sol from the sun combined with Lei, as in leisure, not the Hawaiian wreath of flowers. It is, Cadillac says, its "optimistic inspiration for an open-air, leisurely lifestyle."
We'll let the design team describe the sheet metal. "The uninterrupted surfaces and stretched A-line emphasize the vehicle’s length, while the low tail design creates dynamic yet elegant proportions. The mid-body line seamlessly connects the headlamp to the taillight, unifying the car’s harmonious design." They also said that it "embodies Cadillac's unmistakable bold proportions," and we have to agree with that.
The paint colour is called Manila Cream. It was originally used in 1957 and 1958, the golden era of Cadillac. It was matched, mixed, and created by hand by a craftsperson at Cadillac.
Sollei's spacious interior is a mix of classic and ultra-modern. It doesn't have a bench front seat, which feels like a miss, but it has the kind of space and presence you'd expect of a vintage Cadillac. Real unstained wood surrounds the occupants, making it feel like the yacht it is emulating. It comes with a drink cooler with a power glass door, and for the ultimate in high tech, the wireless charging pad mats are made from the renewable root structure grown by mushrooms.
Cadillac has struggled to return to the position at the pinnacle of luxury automobiles it once held. It feels like every decade, we declare it to be "back" before cost-cutting leads to backsliding, and the brand never really gets there. This model, though just a concept, shows that Cadillac hasn't given up. Much like the hand-built Celestiq it is still set to build, this car has presence, flair, and, crucially, passion oozing from every inch.
It also has some details that are just peculiar. Instead of the shot glasses and cigarette packs of Cadillacs of old, this one has 3D printed acrylic bird calls and a leather-bound journal filled with hand-drawn illustrations of birds. Though it doesn't show in the photos, Cadillac says it has pink iridescent finishes in the seats to create a sunrise effect.
What powers the Sollei? Cadillac isn't saying. This is a look at the possibilities for a custom-commissioned Cadillac. A coachworks-fabricated custom. The kind of things that Cadillac would love to let you do to your six-figure production Celestiq. This means that, like the Celestiq, any production version would be based on GM's Ultium battery platform. The Celestiq is expected to have motors making a combined 600 hp and a range of more than 500 km on a charge.
